Do you ever feel bad about not supporting UK labels when buying imports?

[DisneyDreamer2023]

I love collecting and whenever possible, supporting UK labels so they will grow and be able to release more and more titles in this country.

However sometimes when other regions offer more special features than a UK release I tend to import.

Twins for example, The UK Fabulous Films release had no special features but the US Shout release had 2 interviews, a trailer and a gallery so I imported.

The new UK Columbo boxset costs £114.97 but the USA Kino boxset costs £88.44 to import.

[HappyGuy1984]

I like supporting UK labels but end of the day, if another company is offering more extras or better picture/sound quality then I’ll buy the best option.

[Caladriusse]

I rarely import anything.

If everyone imported everything, then nothing would get released here!

Lots of things get released in the US, and then a few months later get released here, so I'm used to waiting, and I don't mind it. France, Germany and Japan might be a little different though. Obviously they are going to get some releases that you just know are never going to be released here.

[DisneyDreamer2023]

Originally Posted by Caladriusse

I rarely import anything.

If everyone imported everything, then nothing would get released here!

Lots of things get released in the US, and then a few months later get released here, so I'm used to waiting, and I don't mind it. France, Germany and Japan might be a little different though. Obviously they are going to get some releases that you just know are never going to be released here.

True, although I imported the Critters Collection from Shout as they have never been released in UK and I imported the Shout Friday The 13th Collection as the UK has never had Jason Goes To Hell and Jason X over here.

Also I guess it depends if you care about special features or not, like if a different region release has more extras and the UK release is barebones.

[Achtung Englander]

No, don't feel guilty.

You are the customer and you determine how you want to spend your money. If imports provide a better version than the UK version, than I recommend sending the UK label an email as to why you are buying the US version (for example).

Labels need feedback on where they are going wrong and also where they are going right.

[LescotF]

I don't care about extra features. I'll only import if an international release has better picture quality or audio. Otherwise, I stick to UK purchases.

[HappyGuy1984]

Also sometimes UK releases are censored like Tenet, Aquaman, Bumblebee etc.

Avengers and John Wick 2 were both censored over here as well but thankfully the 4K’s were uncensored.

[Blu Lemmy]

I generally lead with my bank balance in mind.
Cheaper is better for me (At this moment in time)

[CouncilSpectre]

No, because it's usually for a good reason, ie price, release date/availability, better extras, better PQ/AQ/Encode/Grading etc.

I prefer to opt for a UK release all things being equal, but that's largely down to preferring to have a Region B copy just in case I'm ever NOT region-free.

[GlacierTuba]

Originally Posted by CouncilSpectre

No, because it's usually for a good reason, ie price, release date/availability, better extras, better PQ/AQ/Encode/Grading etc.

This. I use DVD Compare a lot. I'm not precious if a disc has an extra trailer or a featurette in a different language with no subtitles. But if the encode is better and/or is a different master then I'd import.

Sure some stuff won't even see the light of day in UK/Ireland e.g. Africa Zio Tom. Or if it does land on these shores, sketchy content is often censored e.g. Westerns for horse falls and don't have alternate branching via a region switch e.g. Years Of Lead.

[LescotF]

Originally Posted by GlacierTuba

This. I use DVD Compare a lot. I'm not precious if a disc has an extra trailer or a featurette in a different language with no subtitles. But if the encode is better and/or is a different master then I'd import.

Sure some stuff won't even see the light of day in UK/Ireland e.g. Africa Zio Tom. Or if it does land on these shores, sketchy content is often censored e.g. Westerns for horse falls and don't have alternate branching via a region switch e.g. Years Of Lead.

You'd spend more money on importing a film from overseas because of a few missing seconds of horses falling over?

[GlacierTuba]

Originally Posted by LescotF

You'd spend more money on importing a film from overseas because of a few missing seconds of horses falling over?

I haven't so far. Often works out cheaper as most of the titles I've picked up uncut are German Blu Ray's e.g Valdez Is Coming, Lawman, Waterloo etc.

It's not that I want to see horse falls. I'd just rather a film was uncut. Perhaps in the future the BBFC may make allowances for this sort of thing (if legislation ever changes obviously - easier said than done).

Perhaps discs may offer branching, similar to how Cannibal Holocaust offers full fat and cruelty free branching? Give the viewer the choice.

In terms of cost it's much of a muchness as I'm in the EU. Different matter altogether if it was importing from the USA or Australia. Import fees play second fiddle to the insane postage charges for items from the USA, for example.

Six of one, half a dozen of the other for the most part but I wouldn't pay over the odds for something, no. WOW HD is normally a good alternative for the USA importing route.

[grahams76]

Originally Posted by LescotF

You'd spend more money on importing a film from overseas because of a few missing seconds of horses falling over?

Every time. Cut is cut.

[Jackie Scanlon]

Originally Posted by grahams76

Every time. Cut is cut.

Ditto.

No disrespect to those who support cuts due to animal cruelty (I admire your stance), but sometimes I do think some peeps would do well to compare cut and uncut scenes, as an awful lot of them - particularly in pre-90s films - have been cut REALLY badly to the point where it makes it look like the editor and director have no idea what they're doing. There's a spaghetti western - it might be The Grand Duel, but I can't remember off the top of my head for sure - with a scene with a horse trip and the guy riding it tumbles into the dirt. In the cut UK version one second he's on his horse, and then it immediately cuts to him stood on the ground covered in dust and mud, which makes no sense. (Also cf. the cuts for violence they used to make in martial arts films). It's exactly why Ruggero Deodato re-did his own animal cruelty free edit of Cannibal Holocaust, cos previous attempts looked like they had the intern let loose on them.

The cuts are done a lot better these days, but there's obvs a lot less genuine animal cruelty in films than there used to be.


But I've been importing since the VHS and laserdisc days for this very reason. I was also an early DVD adopter in the mid-late 90s and remember what a shit-show the UK market was then - a very limited range of often pan & scan vanilla discs that cost £19.99, versus the US market where you could get a fully loaded anamorphic widescreen DVD for £9-11 fully delivered, and that included boutique labels like Criterion and Blue Underground.

I'll always support the best release regardless of what label or what country it's from. Luckily the UK boutique market is so good these days (I think we have more active boutique labels here than the US now don't we?) that I import a lot less than I used to, but I'll still go for an import if the UK one is cut or if the other country release is better or if the film isn't available here in the UK.

[Ben_C]

Originally Posted by LescotF

You'd spend more money on importing a film from overseas because of a few missing seconds of horses falling over?

I’d happily pay more to get animal cruelty cut out of my films.

[HappyGuy1984]

Originally Posted by Ben_C

I’d happily pay more to get animal cruelty cut out of my films.

Yeah I usually hate it when films get cut in the UK (Tenet, Aquaman, Bumblebee) etc and was glad that the Avengers and John Wick 2 finally got released uncut on 4K over here.

However when it comes to horse trips or films that show animals being killed like in Cannibal Holocaust, I’m happy to watch cut versions.

[drush9999]

I get whatever uncut release is the best or sometimes the only option where I can regardless of country.

But the UK has the best boutique labels in the world IMO. Indicator, Radiance, Arrow, Eureka, 88 Films, BFI etc.
If I already have a title from another country, I often "upgrade" to a local boutique release.

[side__on]

I buy mostly uk labels but sometimes import if a film is cut in the uk,sometimes there is not a uk release,Halloween 3 for example,so you have to import some films,things have got a lot better with uk blu rays compared to the dvd era,I bought a lot of region a dvd's.

[Cinematt]

Importing is usually a pricey business, so if I'm spending more to get something that will likely have less resale value if I ever decide to get rid of it, waiting longer for it, dealing with a potential PITA returns process and higher chances of damage, then there's going to be a good reason. If there's a UK version that doesn't make me want to take the cheaper, easier option, then that's on them, no idea why anyone would feel guilty about it.

[knuckles96]

generally speaking, i'll favour UK labels like indicator/radiance etc (im loyal to the bone with second run), but for criterion i'd just rather import because the UK distribution here is a bit of a shamble, and it's been cheaper to import